Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-05-02
WHAT FOOD COSTS.
Secrets of the Craft of House
Profits.
New York Mail and Express.

New York Mail and Express.
"Big money is made in high-priced res
taurants, not the cheap Ones" remarked
an experienced caterer to 8 reporter
"There are thousands of things connected
with the restaurant business that out
siders have no conception of. Owing to
the lateness Of the strawberry season
this year and the high prices consequent
thereon, am losing 20 per cent. on them
every day. [ have to serve them,
though, every day at the same price
that will be charged later on when they
are much cheaper. The article of food
that brings less profit to US than any other
is beef, when served as steak and rOasts.
People are very fastidious about the beef
they eat, and generally want the best
quality. If all restaurants got 60 cents
for slrloin there would be some money
in it. The halfway, medium price places
that charge 80 cents for sirloin make moth
ing at such low figure. But the restau-
rants that receive 60 cents for o sirlOin
clear money because they do not have to
pay much more for their meat than the
cheaper caterers. We hedge greatly on
beef, though, and manage to save our
selves by stews, soups, hashes and
the hoId-over dishes that have
meat as basis for existence.
The problem in each restaurant
is how to come out whole on beef, and
many honest caterers have failed in try-
ing to solve it. You see some restaurants
by good luck get big run of customers
who prefer stew, hash and soup. Z Money
can be made in such cases, but the ele-
ment of chance is so great we never cal
Culate on them.
"The adjuncts that go with q -steak,
boiled or fred potatoes, butter and two
slices of bread, are heavy items of e&-
pense These three articles of food are
not charged for, but in the aggregate
they cost the caterer quite a sum- But
ter is dead less slg&ys.
had rather feed 500 people at good
prices than 1000 at small prices.
A great saving is made by not having to
buy so much for the cheap price custo-
mers, and it takes twice as many walters
to attend the latter. Yet most people
imagine that when they see a restaurant
where moderate prices prevail crowded
with customers that the pro-
prietor is making money. Beef
cost 1G, IA and u cents a
pound-butts, hips and loins-in the
rough. Many high priced restaurants
have their meat trimmed by the butchers,
and have nothing to do but thrown 1t on
the fire, and they do not pay such extrav-
agant prices either for these favOrs.
"Where does the profit come in? 1t is
made on pastry and oysters and light
farinaCeOus food. Take chocolate
eclaires, for instance; they can be bought
at 81 cents each and served at cents.
Oysters are bought at 50 per thousand
and sold at % cents dozen.
Eggs are variable, and SOMETIMES
bring in a profit, but frequently do
not. Then profits too often de-
pend on seasons. Some seasons we do
not do any business, comparatively speak
| ing, and others the reverse is the case.
But even with big run of customers,
medium priced restaurants do not make
much money. Another risk is run
during the vegetable season. Sal
ads, lettuce, tomatoes and early veg
etables do not sell at all on
cold days. AS rule, though, they
afford some profit during the season. The
best article for profit is milk. During
the summer months the amount of milk
sold is simply enormous, and at 5 cents a
| glass handsome profit is made. The
profits, however, vanish under such
heavy expendi .ures as coal, rent, walters,
ice, electric light and hundreds of other
| items"